Research Question: How does the pressure to maintain a specific GPA hinder students? Author: Sam Ninesling
Article #1
This article focuses on two 16 year olds, Nora and Colleen, taking advanced courses in their high schools. Both of their main issues are getting perfect GPA’s while taking these advanced courses to get into good colleges. When Nora received the news that she didn’t get a 4.0 for the semester she had a mental breakdown and cried for hours. And for Colleen, the pressure of having a high GPA was making her physically ill. It is obvious that maintain a good GPA is stressful, but not this stressful. These are just two of many high school students dealing with the excessive stress GPA cause.
When having this type of stress put on you it is rather difficult to handle, especially alone. Luckily these to girls had their parents support and guidance through it all. Their parents encouraged them to maybe drop one of their advanced courses, so then they can get their GPA back up to what they wish for it to be. The article states that 40% of parents believe their high-schooler is experiencing a lot of stress from school. And 45% of teens said they were stressed by school pressures, and GPA maintenance is the leading cause. Time management can and will help reduce the stress for these students, but when the pressures of getting into college are many teens priorities, time management could be difficult.
Article #2
Grade anxiety is something many students have, especially in colleges. Many don’t know what grade anxiety actually is. Grade anxiety is feelings of nervousness, uneasiness, and great concern regarding measures of academic performance. It manifests itself as an obsessive concern for one's grades and grade point average. This then leads to rumination which is when someone thinks about the same thing over and over again. People confuse rumination with focus, but they are two completely different things. Being focused on academic goals is healthy and effective and leads to academic success. When thoughts become counterproductive and repetitive, they become obsessive and could hurt your academic success. Rumination is something many students deal with because of pressure of GPA maintenance.
Grade anxiety hinders one academic success. Because of this, students lose their pleasure of learning. When students are just focusing on grades and their GPA the process of learning loses its joy. Students then get so anxious over grade that they take easier courses they aren’t even interested in, just to have a higher GPA. Many students believe that if they don’t have a 4.0 they won’t get into graduate school and won’t be successful in life. Neither of these thoughts are true. GPA isn’t the main thing jobs focus on anymore. It is more about communication skills and where they attended college.
Article #3
As almost everyone knows, cellphones are a major part of everyone’s lives, especially students. Cellphones are used for everything: social networking, communicating with friends and family, and even doing homework or studying. But many wonder if cellphones hinder one’s GPA since it is such a constant distraction. Researchers at Kent University surveyed 500 students to see the effect of cellphones. After the surveying and research, they found that cellphones have a negative effect on their GPA’s and their wellbeing as a whole. Researchers also found that this intensive usage of cellphones brings more anxiety and dissatisfaction to students lives.
To maintain a good GPA and a well-rounded life college students and younger need to balance out cellphone time and school time. Having this constant distraction in the palm of one’s hands at all times will eventually cause a drop in GPAs. If students did leave their homes for college they need to put time aside for communicating with friends and family, so it doesn’t effect their stress levels caused by GPA maintenance. Also, cellphone usage isn’t just effecting these student’s grades, but their lives as well. Alone time is a necessity especially with the stresses college brings, and always having a phone on you will never give you that needed time.
Article #4
Academic stress is a serious problem almost all students deal with. Too much stress can have major effects on your health including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, depression, and sleeping disorders. Researches at the University of Minnesota surveyed 9,931 students at 14 different two and four-year schools. They researched their unhealthy behaviors including smoking and drinking, stress, and television/computer time. They found that students with these unhealthy habits had lower GPAs. Stress is one of the biggest factors and 69.9% of students reported they were stressed, 32.9% said that their stress was effecting their GPA. People who reported the had this stress and an average GPA of 2.72, while those who reported they weren’t stressed had an average GPA of 3.3.
Stress almost always leads back to time management. Students who know how to manage their time and stress preformed much better in school than those who did not. Sleep difficulties, partying, and excessive television/computer use all directly link with a lower GPA compared to students who don’t abuse these things. Screen time seems to have the biggest effect on GPA which surprised most researchers. Students who played less video video games had an average GPA of 3.31 compared to those who spent hours playing who had an average GPA of 2.98. The students who spent less time watching television had an average GPA of 3.37 and those who did spend more time had an average of 3.21. The screen time is just one example of GPAs out of all the other unhealthy behaviors. If students wish to become less stressed academically they will need to put more time into work, and stop revisiting these unhealthy behaviors. Ellis, M. (2015, January 15). How Stress Affects Academic Performance. Retrieved December 2, 2015, from http://www.healthnews.com/en/news/How-Stress-Affects-Academic-Performance/2wJiMoIl1ErOCym8JC9lWD/
Article #5
GPAs can take over a student’s life, and not in a positive way. GPA can either fill someone with pride or stress, and when it’s stress it could be one of the most overwhelming things. Students believe that the only way they can prove their intelligence is by having a high GPA which is not true at all. The article states that it is rather obvious you need good grades to get through college, but obsessively focusing on your GPA isn’t the way to go about it. It also states that sophomore year is when students struggle with stress the most because they are worried that their GPA will not allow them into their major.
Students should not be defined by their GPA. This 3-digit number is not what makes up a student. Extracurricular activities and working a job are things that help one learn and grow. It teaches people things like teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. Things that are usually not taught in a classroom. Jobs will always be impressed with a high GPA, but then when someone’s resume shows no other achievements the job will question how well-rounded they truly are. The more students focus on GPA the less they focus and learn about themselves as a person.
Overall Reaction to Your Research
Being a first year student here at URI I have yet to face the serious stresses of college. My workload is not too heavy, but not too easy. I am challenged just enough to the point that the work is enjoyable not tedious or stressful. After doing my research I have learned just how stressful college can be and how it effects students. I did research on high school and college students and both of their main concerns are their GPAs. For high school students they wish to maintain a high GPA so they get into a good college. For college students the stress of GPAs comes from getting into graduate school and getting a job. This stress of GPAs can effect students mentally and physically. Students need to learn how to balance out their time so their GPA doesn't get the best of them.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
This research has helped identify that teachers and schools need to not put as much emphasis on GPA. When students believe that this number is what defines their future they are wrong. Teachers, parents, schools, and universities need to make students know that their GPA doesn't define them, but good grade, extracurricular activities, jobs, and volunteer work are what make up a person and shows how well-rounded they really are.
Author: Sam Ninesling
Article #1
This article focuses on two 16 year olds, Nora and Colleen, taking advanced courses in their high schools. Both of their main issues are getting perfect GPA’s while taking these advanced courses to get into good colleges. When Nora received the news that she didn’t get a 4.0 for the semester she had a mental breakdown and cried for hours. And for Colleen, the pressure of having a high GPA was making her physically ill. It is obvious that maintain a good GPA is stressful, but not this stressful. These are just two of many high school students dealing with the excessive stress GPA cause.
When having this type of stress put on you it is rather difficult to handle, especially alone. Luckily these to girls had their parents support and guidance through it all. Their parents encouraged them to maybe drop one of their advanced courses, so then they can get their GPA back up to what they wish for it to be. The article states that 40% of parents believe their high-schooler is experiencing a lot of stress from school. And 45% of teens said they were stressed by school pressures, and GPA maintenance is the leading cause. Time management can and will help reduce the stress for these students, but when the pressures of getting into college are many teens priorities, time management could be difficult.
Neighmond, P. (2013, December 13). High School Students’ Health Suffers From Too Much Stress. Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/12/02/high-school-students-health-suffers-from-too-much-stress/
Article #2
Grade anxiety is something many students have, especially in colleges. Many don’t know what grade anxiety actually is. Grade anxiety is feelings of nervousness, uneasiness, and great concern regarding measures of academic performance. It manifests itself as an obsessive concern for one's grades and grade point average. This then leads to rumination which is when someone thinks about the same thing over and over again. People confuse rumination with focus, but they are two completely different things. Being focused on academic goals is healthy and effective and leads to academic success. When thoughts become counterproductive and repetitive, they become obsessive and could hurt your academic success. Rumination is something many students deal with because of pressure of GPA maintenance.
Grade anxiety hinders one academic success. Because of this, students lose their pleasure of learning. When students are just focusing on grades and their GPA the process of learning loses its joy. Students then get so anxious over grade that they take easier courses they aren’t even interested in, just to have a higher GPA. Many students believe that if they don’t have a 4.0 they won’t get into graduate school and won’t be successful in life. Neither of these thoughts are true. GPA isn’t the main thing jobs focus on anymore. It is more about communication skills and where they attended college.
Santos, M. (n.d.). Grade Anxiety. Retrieved December 2, 2015, from http://vis.lbl.gov/~romano/Ed198-SEM/GradeAnxiety.pdf?_sm_au_=iVVN6qtDNqJfMnLQ
Article #3
As almost everyone knows, cellphones are a major part of everyone’s lives, especially students. Cellphones are used for everything: social networking, communicating with friends and family, and even doing homework or studying. But many wonder if cellphones hinder one’s GPA since it is such a constant distraction. Researchers at Kent University surveyed 500 students to see the effect of cellphones. After the surveying and research, they found that cellphones have a negative effect on their GPA’s and their wellbeing as a whole. Researchers also found that this intensive usage of cellphones brings more anxiety and dissatisfaction to students lives.
To maintain a good GPA and a well-rounded life college students and younger need to balance out cellphone time and school time. Having this constant distraction in the palm of one’s hands at all times will eventually cause a drop in GPAs. If students did leave their homes for college they need to put time aside for communicating with friends and family, so it doesn’t effect their stress levels caused by GPA maintenance. Also, cellphone usage isn’t just effecting these student’s grades, but their lives as well. Alone time is a necessity especially with the stresses college brings, and always having a phone on you will never give you that needed time.
Smith, B. (2013, December 6). Study: Cell Phone Use Leads To Lower GPA, More Stress And Anxiety - Redorbit. Retrieved December 2, 2015, from http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1113022165/college-student-cell-phone-smartphone-use-lower-gpa-higher-anxiety-stress-levels-120613/
Article #4
Academic stress is a serious problem almost all students deal with. Too much stress can have major effects on your health including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, depression, and sleeping disorders. Researches at the University of Minnesota surveyed 9,931 students at 14 different two and four-year schools. They researched their unhealthy behaviors including smoking and drinking, stress, and television/computer time. They found that students with these unhealthy habits had lower GPAs. Stress is one of the biggest factors and 69.9% of students reported they were stressed, 32.9% said that their stress was effecting their GPA. People who reported the had this stress and an average GPA of 2.72, while those who reported they weren’t stressed had an average GPA of 3.3.
Stress almost always leads back to time management. Students who know how to manage their time and stress preformed much better in school than those who did not. Sleep difficulties, partying, and excessive television/computer use all directly link with a lower GPA compared to students who don’t abuse these things. Screen time seems to have the biggest effect on GPA which surprised most researchers. Students who played less video video games had an average GPA of 3.31 compared to those who spent hours playing who had an average GPA of 2.98. The students who spent less time watching television had an average GPA of 3.37 and those who did spend more time had an average of 3.21. The screen time is just one example of GPAs out of all the other unhealthy behaviors. If students wish to become less stressed academically they will need to put more time into work, and stop revisiting these unhealthy behaviors.
Ellis, M. (2015, January 15). How Stress Affects Academic Performance. Retrieved December 2, 2015, from http://www.healthnews.com/en/news/How-Stress-Affects-Academic-Performance/2wJiMoIl1ErOCym8JC9lWD/
Article #5
GPAs can take over a student’s life, and not in a positive way. GPA can either fill someone with pride or stress, and when it’s stress it could be one of the most overwhelming things. Students believe that the only way they can prove their intelligence is by having a high GPA which is not true at all. The article states that it is rather obvious you need good grades to get through college, but obsessively focusing on your GPA isn’t the way to go about it. It also states that sophomore year is when students struggle with stress the most because they are worried that their GPA will not allow them into their major.
Students should not be defined by their GPA. This 3-digit number is not what makes up a student. Extracurricular activities and working a job are things that help one learn and grow. It teaches people things like teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. Things that are usually not taught in a classroom. Jobs will always be impressed with a high GPA, but then when someone’s resume shows no other achievements the job will question how well-rounded they truly are. The more students focus on GPA the less they focus and learn about themselves as a person.
Salinas, G. (n.d.). Don't Stress About GPA. Retrieved December 2, 2015, from http://www.collegian.psu.edu/opinion/columnists/article_5d7c9200-20ec-11e4-8ff3-0017a43b2370.html
Overall Reaction to Your Research
Being a first year student here at URI I have yet to face the serious stresses of college. My workload is not too heavy, but not too easy. I am challenged just enough to the point that the work is enjoyable not tedious or stressful. After doing my research I have learned just how stressful college can be and how it effects students. I did research on high school and college students and both of their main concerns are their GPAs. For high school students they wish to maintain a high GPA so they get into a good college. For college students the stress of GPAs comes from getting into graduate school and getting a job. This stress of GPAs can effect students mentally and physically. Students need to learn how to balance out their time so their GPA doesn't get the best of them.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
This research has helped identify that teachers and schools need to not put as much emphasis on GPA. When students believe that this number is what defines their future they are wrong. Teachers, parents, schools, and universities need to make students know that their GPA doesn't define them, but good grade, extracurricular activities, jobs, and volunteer work are what make up a person and shows how well-rounded they really are.